Improved showing by Lahiri, but stays tied 50th at Masters

Augusta: Indian golfer Anirban Lahiri turned in an improved performance in the third round but was still unable to make a move up the leaderboard at the Masters, staying tied 50th after carding a two-over 74.

He shot one birdie and one bogey each, besides a double bogey that dragged his score down in the third round.

Lahiri's third round of two-over 74 saw him move to four-over 220 but stayed in the same place at the end of third day -- in tied 50th place.

Lahiri was solid and played better than the second day, but below par putting, including as many as three three-putts, did him in at the Augusta National Golf Club.

"I played pretty good for the first six and a half holes and then I hit one bad shot -- my approach shot on the seventh hole. I left myself in a bad position in the bunker. Yet from there where I should have made a bogey, I made a double bogey. I went four feet past and missed my bogey putt, too," he explained.

"I did that three times today and those were my dropped shots. After the double on seventh; on the 11th hole I was sitting on a 20-foot birdie, but not only missed that but also the return and made a bogey. Then on 15th, again I three-putted and missed a chance for a birdie. Those were the big disappointments for me in the third round."

Lahiri parred the first six holes before a double bogey on the seventh. It was his second double bogey of the week after the one on 14th in the second round. He bogeyed again on 11th and his sole birdie of the day came on par-three 12th on the Amen Corner.

Talking of his putting, Lahiri said, "I was energised after making the cut after battling it out in the secondround. But this frustration of nothing happening on the green was getting to me. The ball just would not go into hole."

Asia's other star, Thongchai Jaidee collapsed with a round of 80, which included eight bogeys and no birdies as he dropped to 225 and into 55th and last place.

Towards the top end of the leaderboard, World No. 4 Jordan Spieth, who has won three times since the last week of November -- Australian Open, Hero World Challenge and the Valspar Championships - stayed in front with a gutsy showing at 16-under.

Last year's runner-up Spieth has finished first (Valspar), second (Texas Open) and tied second (Houston Open) in last three starts in four weeks and is on the hottest streak in the golfing world.

Chasing him was Justin Rose (67) who had a brilliant 31 on the back nine at 12-under, Phil Mickelson (67) at 11-under and Charlie Hoffman (72) at 10-under.

Tiger Woods (68) continued his improvement to rise to tied sixth alongside Rory McIlory (68), winner of the last Majors -- Open and PGA -- and both are at six-under 210. That sets up a cracker of final day.